NORTH LAS VEGAS JUSTICE OF PEACE 3

The race for North Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Department 3 has narrowed to Deputy Secretary of State Chris Lee and attorney Jonathan MacArthur.

For Lee, this is familiar ground.

The 34-year-old ran for the seat in 2006 but lost to incumbent Department 2 Justice of the Peace Natalie Tyrrell.

Lee said he has a renewed sense of the message he wants to get across to voters.

"I have been running a message to make public safety a focus," he said. "It has been catching on."

Lee said he has been making his pitch at the ground level, meeting people and explaining what the Justice Court is and how it affects North Las Vegans' lives.

"Justice of the peace is really one of the positions that can affect local communities most," he said. "Especially when you're dealing with first time offenders, their first interaction they have is (with the justice of the peace) and you play an important role."

Lee, a former prosecutor, said he wants to see defendants leave his courtroom having met a fair judge.

Lee said he wanted to tighten up the judicial process as well as make court administration move with efficiency and accountability.

MacArthur was a substitute judge in Las Vegas Municipal Court and in North Las Vegas Justice Court.

He also served in the U.S. Army during Operation Desert Storm.

The 35-year-old lost his position in North Las Vegas last year after the district attorney's office found hostile comments about prosecutors on his MySpace Web page.

MacArthur said at the time that his statements were taken out of context and the district attorney's office was trying to sabotage him. He could not be reached for an interview.

Contact reporter Maggie Lillis at mlillis@ reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0279.